On July 23, 2021, 12-year-old Ronnie Blair’s biological father was sentenced to life in prison for shooting and beating Ronnie’s mother to death and murdering his 9-year-old special-needs sister with a hatchet.
As Ronnie Oneal III was sentenced showing no remorse for his actions, Ronnie Blair was across town with his family—safe, loved and physically recovered from the events of March 18, 2018.
That night was the first time Corporal Mike Blair of the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office (Florida) met his future son, Ronnie. Blair arrived at the crime scene where a then 8-year-old Ronnie was being medevac’d to a local hospital after being stabbed by his biological father and set on fire. Blair was told the boy would not live.
A few weeks later, Blair visited an in-pain but alive Ronnie in the hospital. Holding his hand, Ronnie asked Blair to stay and watch a movie with him. The dutiful Blair had to return to work, but promised to return that night. Blair and his wife, Danyel’s, intended date night turned into a movie night at the hospital.
“I had already known that I would want to take Ronnie home with us starting that night,” Danyel said.
Five months later, Ronnie was adopted by the Blairs.
“I have a different brother and sister. I have a different mom and dad. I have a different house,” Ronnie said in a video released by the Hillsborough County Sherriff’s Office. “It’s pretty cool to be with them. There's no one else better than them.”
Murder, attempted murder, arson and aggravated child abuse
Ronnie Oneal III’s trial was dramatic. Acting as his own lawyer, the double-murder defendant opened it by shouting at jurors that he did not attack his girlfriend and disabled daughter.
Then, he cross-examined Robbie, forcing the boy to describe exactly what happened that night.
When asked by Oneal how he hurt Ronnie, the boy replied,” You stabbed me,” before describing how Oneal set fire to the house using gasoline.
Investigators say Ronnie came out of the burning house that night describing what had happened.
“The first words that came out of this brave boy’s mouth: ‘My daddy killed my mommy,’” Assistant State Attorney Scott Harmon told jurors during the trial, according to the Associated Press.
Jurors also heard a 911 call from Kenyatta Barron, Ronnie’s biological mother, in which she desperately sought help after Oneal wounded her with a shotgun. He then beat her to death before using a hatchet to kill Ronnie’s 9-year-old sister, who had cerebral palsy and was non-verbal. Oneal then turned a knife on Ronnie.
During the trial, Oneal contended that investigators fabricated evidence to implicate him and that Ronnie was coached on what to say.
“The evidence is going to show that I love my children,” Oneal told jurors. “The evidence will not show you that my son witnessed me beat his mom to death, nor did he witness me shoot his mom. In fact, he didn’t witness much at all.”
While the jury opted not to recommend the death penalty, they did recommend life in prison without parole for the 32-year-old Oneal, who was found guilty of murder, attempted murder, arson and aggravated child abuse.
According to the Associated Press, the judge said she’d never seen such a horrible case.
“Nineteen years I’ve been in this job,” she said. “I’ve seen human beings killed by the hands of others in every way imaginable. This is the worst case I have ever seen. I know I will be haunted for the rest of my life.”
And while that may be true for everyone involved, Blair says Ronnie doesn’t want the story to define him or his future.
For now, Ronnie loves science and playing with his brother. In the future, he wants to be an actor.
Blair and Danyel tell him that anything is possible.
“Early on, we established a mantra for him,” Blair said. “I am safe, I am loved and I am part of this family.”
More than 3 years later, Ronnie holds that mantra close.
Photo: The Blair Family. Credit: Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office.